Latching pan for tanks



Sept. 21, 1943.

' D. B. TOLLEY LATCHING PAN FOR TANKS Filed Nov. 21, 1941 I [IV/ Wkmwlllll I INVENTOR. 170M941? .3. 7014511 atented Sept. 21, 1943 2,329,865LATCHING PAN FOR TANKS Donald B. Tolley, Macomb, Ill., assignor to GlobeAmerican Corporation, Kokomo, End a corporation Application November 21,1941, Serial No. 419,825 3 Claims. ((11, 119-77) This invention relatesto a pan and latch structure provided for centering the pan andremovably latching it to a tank such as a chick fount or watering tank.

In the application of the invention herein disclosed, it is applied to achick fount wherein readily latched to the bottom of the tank and'readily removed therefrom. This arrangement is such that the tank withthe pan attached may be carried by a bail at the top from one locationto another and may be hung suspended by the ball at the top of the tankwith the pan in latched association therewith.

The invention is more specifically directed to the provision on the panof a centering well inwhich the tank is centered and seated for latchingengagement associated with a latching device acting to cooperate withthe pan and tank to automatically latch them together when in tankseated relation while permitting convenient manual release thereof, andwherein the pan is provided with a recessed portion to receive the latchwhen moved to unlatching position.

The full nature of the invention will be understood from theaccompanying drawing and the following description and claims:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the pan with the tank latched theretoand with portions of the pan shown in section. Fig. 2 isan enlargedvertical section through the tank and pan with parts broken away andshowing the latch in elevation, and wherein said latch is shown in itslatching position by full lines and in its unlatching position by dottedlines.

In the drawing there is shown for purposes of illustrating the inventiona constant level water receiving pan l0 and a reservoir or tank IIattached thereto, said tank being provided with the top l2 with which abail or handle I3 is connected. About the bottom edge of the tank thereare provided the usual peripheral bead M' and suitable openings or portsI5 at the desired water level to be maintained in the pan.

The pan I0 is of the usual depth, or relatively shallow as compared-withthe tank; to permit of ready access by fowls or the like to the water orliquid at the level maintained therein and is flared outwardly so thatthe upper portion of the wall thereof is spaced a substantialdistancefrom and aboutthe wall of the tank. The bottom of the pan isformed with an annular shoulder is within which the bottom of the tankor the bead I4 is adapted to seat for positioning and centering the tankrelative to the pan and maintaining their relative positions when thetank is seated therein.

Secured to the inner wall of the pan in association with said shoulderl6 there is provided an inwardly extending lug adapted to engage theupper surface of the bead It When positioned thereunder by a slightsliding movement by the tank in-the direction of the lug when seatedwithin the annularshoulder Hi. In this connection, it is to be notedthat the relation of the shoulder and the head is such as to permit suchslight movement suflicient to engage and disenage the bead from underthe lug ll.

oppositely disposed to said lug or on the other side of the innersurface of the pan there is provided 'a latch l8 pivotally mounted tomove forward to latching engagement-with the bead 14.

Said latch is pivotally mounted intermediate its ends between a pair ofears l9 secured to the inner wall of the pan in respect to which it ismanually actuated by an upwardly extending handle 20 normally maintainedin forward position under tension of the spring 2|, By means of thisarrangement the lower end of the latch isadapted under spring pressureto swing over ciation with the afore-mentionedlug. Thus, the

pan is latched to the tank so that in their united relation-they may bemoved from one position to another by the bail l3 or hung from anoverhead support.

Immediately below the pivotal mounting of the latch, the pan is providedwith a recess 22 direct- 13 above the shoulder l6 into which the latchit may be free to swing to unlatched position against the tension of thespring 2|, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2. This movement of thelatch being manually accomplished by engagement of the handle 20,forcing it inwardly against the spring pressure, both releases the beadvl4 and permits its sliding movement from under the lug ll, whereupon thetank and the pan'may be separated.

scription that the pan structure comprises a receiving and centeringwell defined by the shoulder l6 and which conforms to the bottom of thetank II and the bead l4 extending thereabout. Thus, when the bottom ofthe tank is circular, as shown herein, the well will be correspondinglycircular, whereas if the bottom of the tank is square or oval, the wellwould be correspondingly square or oval, the well conforming to thebottom of the tank for the purpr-se of effecting the centering andseating of the tank therein. However, as it will be noted, the well isslightly larger than the bottom of the tank so as to permit ofsufiicient play to permit of relative movement therebetween, themovement of the tank within the well being substantially to the extentof the width of the bead l4. Thus, when the tank is centered in the wella slight lateral movement will position the bead l4 under the lug I1 sothat it may be latched by the pressure exerted against the tank by thespring pressed latching member l8, but upon release of the latchingmember a very slight lateral movement will free the bead from under thelug.

The invention claimed is: a 1. In a structure of the characterdescribed, the combination with a tank having an outwardly extendingprojectionpn opposite sides adjacent the bottom thereof, of a panadapted to be latched to the bottom of said tank, a retaining lugextending inwardly from one side of said pan under which said projectionis adapted to be engaged, a recess formed in said pan on the sidethereof opposite said lug, and a releasable latch secured to the innersurface of said pan over said recess and movable into latchingengagement with the projection on said tank for securing the pan theretoin association with said lug, said latch being movable from saidlatching engagement into said recess for permitting the projection onthe tank to clear the latch for release from. said lug.

2. In a structure of the character described, the combination with atank having a peripheral bead adjacent the bottom thereof, of a panadapted to be latched to the bottom of said tank, a receiving andcentering well provided in said pan and conforming to the bottom of saidtank which is centered and seated therein, said tank having sufllcientplay in said well to permit relative movement therebetween tosubstantially the extent of said head, a retaining lug secured to theinner surface of said pan immediately above said well and so related tothe head on said tank that it may engage thereunder, a recess formed inthe wall of said pan opposite to the location of said lug, and a springactuated latch pivotally mounted intermediate its ends in said pan andin such relation to said recess and the bead of said tank that its lowerend is movable into latching engagement with said bead when in oneposition and into said recess to free said head when in anotherposition.

3. In a structure of the character described, the combination with atank having a peripheral bead formed thereabout, of a pan adapted to beremovably secured to the bottom thereof having an upwardly flaredperipheral wall, the lower portion of said wall being curved inwardlyadjacent the bottom of the pan for forming a shoulder to define andprovide a receiving and centering well for the bottom of said tank whenplaced therein and wherein the spaced relation between the bottom ofsaid tank and said shoulder is such as to permit relative movementtherebetween to substantially the extent of said bead, a retaining lugsecured to the inner surface of said pan immediately above saidwelldefining shoulder under which the bead on said tank may be moved toand from interlocking enagement, and a spring actuated latch pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on the inner wall of said pan in opposedrelation to said lug with its latching end extending downwardly into thewell of the pan for latching engagement with said head, said latch beingprovided with an opposed handle portion extending upwardly to ad-'jacent the upper edge of said pan.

DONALD B. TOLLEY.

